Elihu on Sin's True Effect
Job 35
Elihu continues, arguing that a man's righteousness or wickedness affects other men rather than God, and that the oppressed who cry out without truly seeking their Maker go unanswered. He faults Job for multiplying empty words.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonTHEN Elius proceeded and said:
BrentonAnd Elius resumed and said,
GreekὙπολαβὼν δὲ Ἐλιοὺς, λέγει,
KJVElihu spake moreover, and said,
JPSMoreover Elihu answered and said:
2
ThomsonWhat thinkest thou of this in thy pleading? Who art thou that thou shouldst say, I am righteous before the Lord?
BrentonWhat is this that thou thinkest to be according to right? who art thou that thou hast said, I am righteous before the Lord?
GreekΤί τοῦτο ἡγήσω ἐν κρίσει; σὺ τίς εἶ, ὅτι εἶπας, δίκαιός εἰμι ἔναντι Κυρίου;
KJVThinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God’s?
JPSThinkest thou this to be thy right, Or sayest thou: ‘I am righteousness before God’,
4
ThomsonI will answer thee and these three friends of thine.
BrentonI will answer thee, and thy three friends.
GreekἘγώ σοι δώσω ἀπόκρισιν, καὶ τοῖς τρισὶ φίλοις σου.
KJVI will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.
JPSI will give thee answer, And thy companions with thee.
5
ThomsonLook up to yonder heaven and see; and observe the clouds, how high above thee they are.
BrentonLook up to the sky and see; and consider the clouds, how high they are above thee.
GreekἈνάβλεψον εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ ἴδε· κατάμαθε δὲ νέφη, ὡς ὑψηλὰ ἀπὸ σοῦ.
KJVLook unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.
JPSLook unto the heavens, and see; And behold the skies, which are higher than thou.
6
ThomsonIf thou hast sinned, what canst thou do? And if thou hast multiplied transgressions, what canst thou effect?
BrentonIf thou hast sinned, what wilt thou do? and if too thou hast transgressed much, what canst thou perform?
GreekΕἰ ἥμαρτες, τί πράξεις; εἰ δὲ καὶ πολλὰ ἠνόμησας, τί δύνασαι ποιῆσαι;
KJV—
JPSIf thou hast sinned, what doest thou against Him? And if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto Him?
7
ThomsonIf thou art righteous, what canst thou give Him? Or will He receive anything at thy hands?
BrentonAnd suppose thou art righteous, what wilt thou give him? or what shall he receive of thy hand?
GreekἘπεὶ δὲ οὖν δίκαιος εἶ, τί δώσεις αὐτῷ; ἢ τί ἐκ χειρός σου λήψεται;
KJVIf thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?
JPSIf thou be righteous, what givest thou Him? Or what receiveth He of thy hand?
8
ThomsonThy wickedness may affect a man like thyself: and thy righteousness, a son of man.
BrentonThy ungodliness may affect a man who is like to thee; or thy righteousness a son of man.
GreekἈνδρὶ τῷ ὁμοίῳ σου ἡ ἀσέβειά σου, καὶ υἱῷ ἀνθρώπου ἡ δικαιοσύνη σου.
KJVThy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.
JPSThy wickedness concerneth a man as thou art; And thy righteousness a son of man.
9
ThomsonOn the account of a multitude, they who are falsely accused will scream: They will call aloud because of the arm of many,
BrentonThey that are oppressed of a multitude will be ready to cry out; they will call for help because of the arm of many.
GreekἈπὸ πλήθους συκοφαντούμενοι κεκράξονται, βοήσονται ἀπὸ βραχίονος πολλῶν.
KJVBy reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.
JPSBy reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out; They cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.
10
Thomsonbut none said: Where is the God who made me;
BrentonBut none said, Where is God that made me, who appoints the night-watches;
GreekΚαὶ οὐκ εἶπε, ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ποιήσας με, ὁ κατατάσσων φυλακὰς νυκτερινὰς,
KJVBut none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;
JPSBut none saith: ‘Where is God my Maker, Who giveth songs in the night;
11
Thomsonwho regulateth the watches of the night; who distinguisheth me from the beasts of the earth and from the birds of the air?
Brentonwho makes me to differ from the four-footed beasts of the earth, and from the birds of the sky?
Greekὁ διορίζων με ἀπὸ τετραπόδων γῆς, ἀπὸ δὲ πετεινῶν οὐρανοῦ;
KJVWho teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?
JPSWho teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, And maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?’
12
ThomsonThere let them scream. He indeed may not hearken even at the abuse of bad men.
BrentonThere they shall cry, and none shall hearken, even because of the insolence of wicked men.
GreekἘκεῖ κεκράξονται, καὶ οὐ μὴ εἰσακούσῃ, καὶ ἀπὸ ὕβρεως πονηρῶν.
KJVThere they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.
JPSThere they cry, but none giveth answer, Because of the pride of evil men.
13
Thomson“Since [thou sayest] it is not the Lord’s desire to see improper things—since He, the Almighty,
BrentonFor the Lord desires not to look on error, for he is the Almighty One.
GreekἌτοπα γὰρ οὐ βούλεται ἰδεῖν ὁ Κύριος, αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ παντοκράτωρ.
KJV—
JPS—
14
Thomson—
BrentonHe beholds them that perform lawless deeds, and he will save me: and do thou plead before him, if thou canst praise him, as it is possible even now.
GreekὉρατής ἐστι τῶν συντελούντων τὰ ἄνομα, καὶ σώσει με· κρίθητι δὲ ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ, εἰ δύνασαι αὐτὸν αἰνέσαι, ὡς ἔστι καὶ νῦν.
KJV—
JPS—
15
Thomson—
BrentonFor he is not now regarding his wrath, nor has he noticed severely any trespass.
Greek“Ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἐπισκεπτόμενος ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἔγνω παράπτωμά τι σφόδρα·
KJV—
JPS—
16
Thomsonyet Job vainly openeth his mouth; he loadeth his speeches with folly.
BrentonYet Job vainly opens his mouth, in ignorance he multiplies words.
Greekκαὶ Ἰὼβ ματαίως ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, ἐν ἀγνωσίᾳ ῥήματα βαρύνει.
KJVTherefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.
JPSBut Job doth open his mouth in vanity; He multiplieth words without knowledge.